History

Prison Department of Lithuania was established on 11 February 1919.

During the period of Soviet occupation the penal enforcement system of Lithuania was an integral part of the Soviet Union’s overall system under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior. Prison Department was renamed: first, Board of Corrective Labor Institutions, later, Board of Correction Affairs.

After the restoration of independence in 1990 the Board of Correction Affairs was reorganized into the Department of Correction Affairs.

On 1 September 2000 in the course of the reform of the legal system, the penal enforcement system was transferred from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice. The Department of Correction Affairs regained the name it had during the interwar period of independent Lithuania - at present it bears the official name of the Prison Department under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania.

From 1990 till 2001 Jonas Blazevicius was the head of the institution. Under the Order of the Ministry of Justice of 17 June 2002 Skirmantas Agurkis was appointed Acting Director General of the Prison Department.

On 12 December 2002 Ramunas Kalendra, previously Deputy Director General of the Prison Department, was appointed Acting Director General of the Prison Department. From 22 April 2003 to 18 February 2005 Rimvidas Kugis headed the Prison Department. Under the Order of the Ministry of Justice dated 21 February 2005 Saulius Vitkunas, then Deputy Director General, was appointed Acting Director General of the Prison Department. After having won the public tender S. Vitkunas was appointed Director General of the Prison Department.

Arturas Norkevicius was appointed the Director General of the Prison Department under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania since 24 January 2012.

There are 15 penal institutions subordinate to the Prison Department enforcing pre-trial detention sanctions and custodial sentences imposed by court, 49 territorial correction inspections that are responsible for the execution of sentences alternatives to imprisonment and supervision of persons released on parole. The training Center of the Prison Department organizes the training of the newly hired staff of the institutions subordinate to the Prison Department.

State enterprises, the ownership rights and duties of which are implemented by the Prison Department, function at three penitentiary institutions. Sentenced prisoners are employed in the state enterprises. Furniture, electric fittings, various metal moldings, door and window bindings are produced in the enterprises. Bedclothes, work clothes, work footwear are also made therein and vehicles are repaired. The production by inmates is of the identical quality as that produced by ordinary enterprises, though in the majority of cases it is less expensive.